Clasp



Nov. 30, 1948., s. DARVIE ET AL CLASP Filed Sept. '19, 1946 2 She etsSheet l INVENTOR5 SAMUEL DHRVI IRVING MRVAE SnMue Pawammv BY ATTORNEY ikI-lllll Patented Nov. 30, 1948 EHQE CLASP Samuel Darvie, Irving Darvie, and Samuel Pearlman, New York, N. Y.

Application September 19, 1946, Serial No. 697,984

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to clasps or attaching means for jewelry and other articles, for example, a clasp for earrings, a clasp for attaching a brooch to a garment, a clasp for fastening a shoe ornament, etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a clasp of the class described which will be simple and comprised of parts sufliciently small as to be adapted for use in jewelry and similar articles, and which can be quickly and easily attached and removed and which will at the same time securely hold the jewelry or other article in place. An allied object is to provide a clasp having the foregoing features which will be economical to manufacture.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a clasp for earrings which, in addition to the above enumerated features, will present wide bearing areas between which the ear is interposed, so that the pressure will be distributed over a relatively wide area of the ear. As a result, the earring will be more comfortable and the improved clasp will leave no mark or soreness on the ear; the greater bearing area will also assure a higher degree of securement. The size of the bearing areas made possible in the improved clasp of this invention is greater than when screw backs or similar bulky fastening means are used.

For the attainment of the foregoing and such other objects of invention as may appear or be pointed out we have shown two embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawing; wherein Figure 1 is a side view of the improved clasp of our invention, as applied to an earring;

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof;

Figure 3 is a top view of the improved clasp, on enlarged scale, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of the clasp shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section through the clasp of Figure 3, taken substantially on the lines 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a top view of the blank from which the socket part of the improved clasp is formed;

Figure 7 is a side view, partially in section, of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 8 is an elevational section taken on the line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a top view taken on line 99 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is an end or rear view, taken from the right of Figure 7 i. e., the face which is exposed when attached to the ear, is slightly concaved. To the convex rear surface I of the ornament is secured a member I!) of the clasp which, for reasons soon apparent, will be referred to as the socket member. Socket member I0 has a vertical strip I I which terminates at its upper end in a ring I2. Ring end. of the socket member is disposed centrally of ornament disc 9 or, as shown in Figures 1-2, at a point somewhat above the center of disc 9. Cooperative with socket member I0 is a slide member 20 which is mounted on or in the socket member ID for a limited extent of movement, left-and-right, Figure 1. Slide member 2!] likewise has a vertical stri 2I which also terminates at its upper end in a ring 22, which is aligned with ring I2 of socket member I0. It is understood that the ear is interposed between'rings i2, 22 and the slide member 2!] moved leftwardly, Figure 1, or towards the socket member Ill, to attach the clamp to the ear. I

The manner of mounting slide member 20 on socket member I0 to enable the said movement of slide member 20 and the manner of holding the two members in adjusted position, will now be described with particular reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5. Vertical strip II of socket member I!) uprises at the closed end (leftward, Figures 3, 4) of a fiat tubular portion I3 of the socket member; tubular portion or socket I3 has a top plate or panel I4, 2. bottom panel I5 and side panels l6, I6. The right end, as viewed in Figures 3, 4, of socket I3 is open. Socket or tubular portion I3 and vertical strip I I are formed of a single piece or blank, as shown in Figure 6. where the panel which forms the bottom I5, see Figure 5. is designated I5 and is disposed centrally of the blank. The bottom panel I5 is of the same width as the vertical strip II and forms a juncture therewith on the line a. On either side of bottom panel I5 on lines D, b are narrow panels IBQ Ifi which form the sides I 6, I6, Figure 5. And beyond side panels I6, It and on lines 0, c are half panels I4, M which together form the top I 4, Figure '5.

The panels of the blank are folded on lines bjc,

Figure 6. to form the socket portion i 3, see Figure 5. The strip I I is folded or bent upwardly online a, Figure 6; because of the equal width of str p I and bottom panel IS, the vertical strip I l is efiective when bent on line a to close the left end. Figures 3, 4 and 6, of the socket portion.

Slide member 20 is also formed of a single piece or blank (not shown). Its vertical strip 2i is of the same width as a, slide strip 23 which is slidably received within socket l3 of member iii. Slide strip 23 is advanced into, or withdrawn from, socket 13 to adjust the space between rings or bearing areas 12, 22. To maintain members l and 20 in this associated relation and to prevent separation of the two, jslide strip 23 has an elongated slot 21, in which is slidably re-- ceived a lug ll tongued out oithe bottom. panel 15, see Figure 5, of socket member 1 6; bottom panel E of the blank, Figure 6, is slitted at ll preparatory to forming lug ll. It will be evident that lug I1 is turned upwardly after slide strip 23 is inserted within socket 13. The abutting edges I4 see Figure 5, of the top half panels 14, [4 may besoldered or otherwise united.

Slide member 20 hasa pair of fingers 24, 24', one on each side of socket 13,. see Figure 3. As best shown in that figure, the side fingers 24', 24 and the central or slide strip 23 of slide member 20 are shown to be substantially of the same length and that the side fingers 24, 24 and central slide 23 all project forwardly from the vertical. strip 2| oi the slide member. Near its lower end, if. e.,fsomewhat above its junction with slide strip 23, the vertical strip 2! has lateral extensions 25 which constitute the integral connection between fingers 24, 24 and vertical strip 2|- The space between central strip 23 and side fingers 2'4, 24 is designated. A, Ain Figure 3. It will be observed from Figure 2 that the aforementioned lateral extensions or junctures 25, 25 are at a point above the horizontal central strip 23 and horizontal fingers 24, 214; so that the aforesaid space A between the horizontal strip 23 and finger 24, Figure 3, appears in. Figure 2 at A, A between vertical strip Ill and the vertical portions of fingers 2,4, 24.

The distal end of fingers 24, 24' is provided with a. curved, inwardly-directed, protuberance H 28 which is receivable in the grooves or dales 18 of serrations l8 formed along the sides i8, iii-oi socket or flat tubular portion l3 of the socket member In, Figure 3. Protuberances 28', 28 fit snugly in serrations l8 and are effective to hold the slide member 20 in any adjusted position at a particular pair of aligned grooves or dales it of the serrations on the sides of the socket member. By grasping the slide member 28 it can be pulled outwardly (to the right, Figures 3, 4) or pushed inwardly (to. the, left), the protuberanccs 2.8", 28' moving outwardlyto clear the serrations IS. The fingers 24, 24, by reason of the material and the length and width of the arms, have sufficient resiliency'to permit their distal ends to spring. outwardly and enable their protuberances to pass over the serrations. The resiliency of fingers 24 is enhanced by increasing the length of the fingers, as has been done by placi'ng the juncture extensions 25, 25 at a point above the horizontal portions of the fingers and horizontal central strip 23, see Figure 2.

The protuberance 28', which extends (vertically) for the entire thickness of arm 24, Figure 4,.is not at the extreme end of the. arm 24 but is adjacent to a tip portion 26 which is at the extreme end of the arm. Tip portion 26 is tapared or beveled at its top and bottom surface, 26', 26', Figure 5, towards a central, horizontal knife edge 29. The tapering of tips 26, 25 is inwardly, towards serrations I8 of the socket member, as indicated by arrows t, t, Figure 3. As best seen in that figure, knife edge 29 of tip 26 does not extend inwardly to the extent that the curved protuberance 28 does; that is, knife edge 29 does not reach to the depth of the dales or grooves l8 of the serrations. A horizontal, central slit I9 is incised along serrations M; as best seen in Figure 5', the knife edge 2!; is received within slit I9. By reason of this sliding engagement of the knife edge 29 of the tip ends 28, 28 of the fingers, the distal ends of fingers 24, 24 are maintained in proper position relative to the socket portion [3, so that protuberances 28' will be in cooperative relation to serrations [8 of the socket member.

The serrations l8 are conveniently formed in the side panels l8, [6 prior to the folding of the blank, Figure 6. The side panels I6, it of the blank are punched by a gang of spaced punch rams 6, Figure 6, which are disposed at the points where the grooves or dales of the serrations are to be located. This punching operation causes grooves at these spaced points and a swelling of the metal between these spaced points, to form the hills of the serration. After this punching operation, side panels l6, l5, Figure 6, are incised to form the slit l9, Figures 3-5. Thereafter, the blank is folded into the socket member 23, as described above.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figures '7 to 10 has similar socket member 99 with vertical strip H, socket portion !3 with upper panel i4 and bottom panel l5, slide member 28 with vertical strip 2|, fingers 24, etc. The clasp of Figures 7 to 10 is provided with means which tends toforce slide member 20 outwardly, to the right as viewed in Figure 7,. away from the socket member H] (i. e., to separate the bearing rings 12, 22, Figure 1). For this purpose, a tongue il is slitted and tabbed from vertical strip ll, Figures 8, 7, and is caused, as by heat treatment and the manner of tonguing it out of strip H, to exert outward spring pressure, 1. e., to the right as viewed in Figure '7. The top surface or plate 14 of the socket member ID has a central, longitudinal slot 42 through which the distal end of spring tongue 4! clears to reach the interior of the socket. The distal end of spring tongue 4! abuts against the end of central strip 23 of the slide member 20 causing the latter to tend to move outwardly and separate from socket member Hi. This outward spring pressure exerted upon slide member 20 is normally thwarted by the reception of protuberances 23',.23 of the fingers 24, 24, in the grooves of serrations l3, l8 along the sides of. the socket portion, as described above with reference to Figures 3 to 5.

The clasp of Figures '7 to 10 is further provided with means for positively withdrawing protuberances 28', 28 from the serrations i8, i8 so that slide member 20 may move relative to socket member Hi. This means is a narrow transverse strip 40 disposed on the upper surface M of the socket portion of member [0 and provided with downwardly turned ends 43, 43, see Figure 9, disposed between serrated sides [6, N5 of socket member it and fingers 24, 24 of slide member 20. As clearly seen in Figure 9, the outer face of ends 43 is tapered, as indicated at 44. It will be further observed that the fingers 24 are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis L-L of the clasp and that the inclination of the fingers 24 parallels that of the tapered side 44 of transverse slide 40. Hence by shifting transverse slide 40 inwardly (to the left, Figure 9) towards the tapering ends of fingers 24, where the distance between the fingers becomes progressively smaller, the ends 43, 43 of transverse slide ll! will force the fingers outwardly, thus causing protuberances 28', 28' at the ends of the fingers to be withdrawn from the serrations l8. To facilitate moving of transverse slide Ml, it is provided with a nail-piece 46 which is disposed at the underside of socket portion l3, see esp. Figure 7, because the underside is exposed and accessible. Nail-piece 46 is secured at the lower end of a lug 45 which projects down wardly from transverse slide 44 and clears through the aforesaid slot 42 in top panel M of socket portion is and through the elongated slot 2? in central strip 23 of slide member 20. In order that fingers 24 have greater resilience (required by the transverse slide 40) the lateral extensions 25', 2-5 which form the integral juncture between the vertical portions 24, 24 of fingers 24 and vertical strip 2 i are at a higher point, see Figure 10, than in the case of the form shown in Figures 3-5, where the lateral extensions 25, 25, Figures 2 and 4, are lower and not much above the horizontal fingers 24 and central strip 23.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited. to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the appended claims,

We claim:

1. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member having a strip secured at one end to the said article and a socket portion at the other end of the said strip, said socket portion having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip cooperative with the said strip of the socket member for attaching the said article and a strip slidably received within the said socket portion of the socket member, said slide strip having an elongated slot, a lug tongued out of said bottom panel of the socket portion and received in said slot,

said slide member having a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position. relative to said socket member.

2. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member having a strip secured at one end to the said article and a socket portion at the other end of the said strip, said socket portion having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip cooperative with the said strip of the socket member for attaching the said article and a strip slidably received within the said socket portion of the socket member, said slide member having a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided near their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member.

3. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member secured to the said article and having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member slidably received within the said socket member and having an elongated slot, a lug tongued out of the said socket member and received in said slot, said slide member having a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket member and provided at their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slidemember in adjusted position relative to said socket member.

4. A clasp of the class described comprising a member having a socket portion presenting top, bottom and side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip slidable in said socket portion and a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberanoes cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member.

' 5. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member secured at one end to the said article having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, said side panels being exteriorly serrated to form alternate and aligned hills and dales, a slide member slidably received within the said socket member, said slide member hav ing a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket member and provided near their distal end portions with in- I wardly-directed, curved protuberances receivable in the said aligned serrated dales to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member.

6. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member secured at one end to the said article having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, said side panels being exteriorly serrated to form alternate and aligned hills and dales, a slide member slidably received within the said socket member, said slide member having a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket member and provided near their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved proturberances receivable in the said aligned serrated dales to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, the said aligned serrated hills on each side panel having a central slit, and the distal ends of the said pair of fingers tapering inwardly towards a central knife edge, the said knife edges of the fingers being slidably received in said central slits through the serrated hills of the side panels.

7. A clasp for an article comprising a socket member having a strip secured at one end to the said article and a socket portion at the other end of the said strip, said socket portion having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip cooperative with the said strip of the socket member for attaching the said article and a strip slidably received within the said socket portion of the socket member, a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion provided near their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, said attaching strip bending upwardly from the said slide strip of the slide member at a predetermined point, the said pair of fingers being secured to the said attaching, strip at a point above the said predetermined bending point whereby the resiliencyat the distal ends of the pair of fingers is enhanced,

8, A clasp for an article comprising a socket member having a strip secured at one end to the said, article and a socket portion at the other end of the said strip, said socket. portion having wide top and bottom panels and narrow side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip cooperative with the said strip of the socket memher for attaching the said article and a. strip slidably received within the said socket portion of the socket member, an elongated slot in the said top panel of the socket member, the said strip of the socket member being slitted to, form a tongue, the distal end of which clears through the said elongated slot to contact the said slide strip and spring press the said slide member outwardly, said slide member having a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the, socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardly-directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, against the said spring tongue.

9. A clasp of the class described comprising a member having a socket portion presenting top, bottom and side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip slidable in said socket portion and a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided at their distal end portionswith inwardlydirected, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, and means for positively withdrawing the said protuberances of the pair of fingers irom'the serrations,

10. A clasp of; the class described comprising a member having a socket portion presenting top, bottom and side panels, serrations formed exteriorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip slidable in said socket portion and a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardly directed, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, and a narrow transverse strip slidable on the said socket portion and cooperative with the said pair of fingers for withdrawing its said distal protuberances from the serrations.

11. A clasp of the class described comprising a member having a socket portion presenting top, bottom and side panels, serrations formed exter-iorly in the said side panels, a slide member having a strip slidable in said socket portion and a pair of fingers one on each side of the said serrated side panels Oi the socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardlydirected, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, and a narrow transverse strip slidable on said socket portion and having ends disposed between said serrated side panels and side fingers and adapted to withdraw said distal protnberances of the fingers from the said serrations.

12. A clasp of the class described comprising a member having a socket portion presenting top, bottom and side panels, serrations formed exter orly i the said side panels, a slide member having a strip slidable in said socket portion and a pair of fingers one on each side of the serrated side panels of the socket portion and provided at their distal end portions with inwardlydirected, curved protuberances cooperative with the said serrations to maintain the said slide member in adjusted position relative to said socket member, said pair of side fingers being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the said socket portion, and a narrow transverse strip slidable on said socket and having ends disposed between said serrated side panels and side fingers, said ends being tapered parallel to the said inclination of the side fingers.

SAMUEL DARVIE. IRVING DARVIE. SAMUEL PEARLMAN.

No references cited. 

